1. QB
This position is so important. A good QB can definetly make a contender of his team, just by himself. Add a nice supporting cast and you can be dangerous in the play offs every year.

My pick: Carson Palmer. He is young, throws the best deep ball in the game, and is a leader. The best pure passer behind Manning.

2. LT
An underated position to the casual fan...The offense basically revolves around this guy, seeing how he serves to protect the blind side of a QB (usually) and is needed for run blocking.

My pick: Marcus McNeil. To make it as a Pro Bowl alternate at the left tackle position with perrenial Pro Bowlers as a rookie is outstanding. To protect the blind side of a first time starter at the QB position and make way for the MVP RB is amazing as well. This guy is going to be good for years and years and years.

3. DE
I believe games are won and lost in the trenches and having a great defensive end helps out your pass defense and your run defense. Having a great DE really disrupts the offense and having to gameplan against a DE is alot harder than having to gameplan against a great FS or CB.

My pick: Julius Peppers. What can you say about this guy that hasnt already been said? He is one of the fiercest pass rushers in the league, while still having the size to defend the run well. Not only is he such a balanced DE, he can drop into coverage well. Sucks he is on the Panthers.

4. MLB
He is the general of the defense. It is as simple as that. He is the leader that can rile up defense to up their level of play. He is the one that calls the plays.

My pick: Jonathan Vilma. Young leader in the mold of Ray Lewis. What more can you ask for? Of course he would be playing in a 4-3, and I would build my defense around him, as oppose to the Jets.

5. DT/FS
My favorite position is Free Safety, so my choice of FS here might be biased. I think that the FS position brings so much ability to make a play; force a turnover, etc. Does anyone have a % of how many teams win while forcing more turnovers than having giveaways? Also, it allows your CBs to be a bit less than average and allows them to make some mistakes, while still not getting beat. And I put DT here cause games are won and lost in the trenches, and having a DT that can clog up running lanes and is able to get to the passer is a tremdous luxury.

My pick: Ed Reed/ Jamal Williams. Ed Reed takes away the deep pass and is a threat to score everytime he touches the ball. Jamal Williams disrupts OL and penetrates into the backfield and is very hard to stop.

Honorable Mentions: CB, RB, WR

Man. What a team.

Carson Palmer
Marcus McNeil
Julius Peppers
Jon Vilma
Ed Reed

__________________"He's the leader of the next great class of NFL players." - John Elway on Matt Ryan

I make the picks, assuming we're looking for a combination of youth and skill. Everything in football starts with the running game, hence the Tomlinson pick. Palmer is younger than Manning, with almost, arguably the same skills. Shutdown corners are almost impossible to come by, hence Bailey. The tackle pick is made based off youth and potential(not saying he's the best LT in the game, just saying he's the best young one IMO). Merriman is there for his presence as a pass rusher, but that could easily be substituted by a Peppers or dominant DE who can get pressure on the QB.

QB- Tom Brady -Do you want to compete and have a proven player who can win the big game for you? Or a popular, talented passer?
DE- Juleus Peppers -A consistend pass rush will cut the opposing QBs decision time in half
DT- Tommie Harris - See DE
CB - Champ Bailey -Shuts down half of the field, leaving 10 guys to cover the other half
LT - Jason Peters -Young, athletic, strong, give him a few years and he will be one of the premier OTs in the league

Since RBs are a dime a dozen I chose to leave them off, but it was very hard to pass on LT.

Anyways, with my defense you are almost guaranteed to be in the QBs face every passing down with Tommie Harris and Juleus Peppers. Champ shuts out half of the field leaving the QB with one less target, a stacked defense blanketing the other side of the field, and a pass rush consisting of Tommie Harris and Juleus Peppers coming right at him.

My offense revolved around Tom Brady who has proven he can win without WRs, as well as Peters opening holes and stuffing the end on the left side.

Even considering age I wouldn't take him. NEWS FLASH, D'Brickashaw Ferguson is better.

Maybe in the future he will be, but from what I saw D'Brick struggled at the point of attack last season at times DEs would over power him. I believe in one of the Bills games Aaron Schobel just bull rushed right through him.

I love D'Brick's quickness and agility out of his stance, but last year McNeill was almost dominant, making key blocks on a line that contributed towards paving the way for the NFL single season touchdown record.